TRIP-TRAP! TRIP-TRAP!

image:  1491 European woodcut

I'm terribly excited to be writing and directing the Spring play

at our new outdoor bridge!

But before I can put pen to paper I have to do my research.

I spend weeks (months!) learning about my subject.

I become rather obsessed! 

Since the Universe gifted me with both a goat AND and outdoor bridge...well.....

I really had no choice but to choose Three Billly Goats Gruff !

(If you're a bit confused, scroll down one blog below and all will be revealed!)

Of course, the 'true' story can't be done as a child's stage play......not in this era, at any rate.

(I'd like to argue that point but it's futile, so suffice it to say:  I can't.  Athough, I'm interested in what you have to say on the subject.)

So, it's up to me to take the essence of the story and present it in such a way that, hopefully, the lessons will be learned and the story told without any.....uh, goatie/troll violence.  ;)

(ie:  No trolls will be harmed in the making of this stage play!)

It has always fascinated me that no matter the culture, fairytales, fables and folklore remain basically the same.  I even found a version with a FOX!  (yay!)

I've come upon Loki in my reading, the Icelandic trickster, and since I do love the trickster character in folklore, Native American storytelling and commedia dell'Arte, I'm thinking I'm going to have some real fun with my Troll!  I think you're going to like him!

I post here the Norwegian version of our story, the one, I believe, most everyone is familiar with.

Stay tuned for what happens next....and to find out if Darla learns her lines in time!

THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF

Norway

Once upon a time there were three billy goats, named Gruff. They were on their way to eat on the hillside, but they had to cross a bridge. Under the bridge lived a troll, with eyes as big as saucers, and a nose as long as a poker.

The first goat over the bridge was the youngest Billy Goat Gruff. "Trip, trap, trip, trap!" he walked across the bridge.
"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" roared the troll.
"I am the smallest Billy Goat Gruff, and I'm going up to the hillside to make myself fat," said the billy goat, with a tiny voice.
"I'm coming to gobble you up," said the troll.
"Oh, no! please don't eat me. I'm too little!" said the billy goat. "Wait for the second Billy Goat Gruff. He's much bigger."
"Well, be off with you," said the troll.
A little while later, the second Billy Goat Gruff crossed the bridge. "Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap" went the bridge.
"Who's that tripping over my bridge?" roared the troll.
"I am the second Billy Goat Gruff, and I'm going up to the hillside to make myself fat," said the billy goat, with a medium voice.
"I'm coming to gobble you up," said the troll.
"Oh, no! Don't eat me. Wait for the last Billy Goat Gruff. He's much bigger."
"Very well! Be off with you," said the troll.
Next, the big Billy Goat Gruff crossed the bridge. "Trip, trap, trip, trap, trip, trap!" went the bridge. This billy goat was heavy and the bridge creaked and groaned under him.
"Who's that tramping over my bridge?" roared the troll.
"I am the big Billy Goat Gruff ," said the billy goat, with a big ugly voice.
"I 'm coming to gobble you up," roared the troll.
"No, you're not!" said the biggest Billy Goat Gruff. "I am bigger than you and I could crush you into bits and bones."
"No, you're not!" said the biggest Billy Goat Gruff. "I am bigger than you and I could crush you into bits and bones."
And when the troll saw how big the billy goat was, the troll let him pass. After that, the three billy goats went to the hillside. They got so fat they could hardly walk home. And if the fat hasn't fallen off, they're still fat; and so,
Snip, snap, snout. This tale's told out.

image:  18th century Icelandic Loki (Trickster)